I've done the unthinkable...

[kellysaurusrex]

...I dropped my camera.

I was grabbing it to take a quick photo of my fiance's birthday breakfast this morning and the neck strap got hooked on something and yanked the camera out of my hand and onto the floor.

The camera seems to still be in perfect working condition, not a scratch, but the kit lens that was attached (I have a Canon Rebel T1i with the 18-55mm lens that comes with it) has a small dent on the front end and the cap popped off. I picked it up, cleaned it off, and proceeded to try to take a picture. The lens will no longer auto focus. I switched to my macro lens and it works fine, so I know now that the kit lens is damaged.

I can manually focus the lens with little resistance and get a good, clear photo, but when I auto-focus it struggles and comes out blurry.

I'm still learning proper terminology for camera parts, so excuse me if this next bit comes out weird. I can focus the large, rubberized portion of the lens with ease as I used to, but the front part (nearest the glass part of the lens) is what resists movement. I can move it with my hand, but the camera is unable to budge it.

Is there any way to fix this without it costing an arm and a leg, or would it be better to just shell out the money for a new kit lens?

Thanks in advance.

[gturner]

Get a new lens! Any repair you spend would be too much.
(unless you are married to a lens technician)

[mazzachre]

Almost saying "good riddance". I know it is bad to loose a lens, but the Canon 18-55 kit lens for the rebel cameras is just so bad.

You can usually pick one up off ebay for next to nothing if money is short, otherwise look for a better lens to replace it. There are faster and sharper lenses out there (There are hardly any softer drawing lenses perhaps aside from Sony's kit lens and some really old manual focus zooms from the 80'ies) and you are going to like the upgrade.

[Ett]

Yeah, and at least it was only the Kit lens. If you shop around, those lenses are relatively cheap. I'd say this is an excuse to get yourself some new glass though

[dlambert]

I have a feeling it'll cost more to fix the lens than it's worth. Check out Adorama or equivalent for prices - that lens is available there for $80 used, up to $170 new. Of course, if you'd ever thought about upgrading this lens, now might be the ideal time for that. Your local camera store should be able to give you an idea of what it would cost to repair. Of course, once you decide to write off the lens as toast, you could always try disassembling it to see if you could pound out the dent a bit -- it sounds like maybe it's just binding against the focus mechanism a bit.

Also, it sounds like your camera is fine (very good news), but if you've got access to another lens, it might be worth verifying this before you order a replacement lens.

[OsmosisStudios]

You destroyed the focus helicoids and likely the motor too. That's what drives the autofocus.

Agree with the others: shop around for a replacement, even maybe an upgrade.

[kellysaurusrex]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I think I'll use it manually for a while and possibly upgrade it in the near future when budget allows. Any recommendations for an upgrade? I know everyone says the 18-55 is terrible, but it's been pretty good for general use for me thus far, so I may just get a new one if I can't find a reasonably priced upgrade. At least I didn't wreck either of my other two lenses, or the camera itself.

[OsmosisStudios]

What are your other lenses?

The 15-85 is a fantastic range for a midrange zoom, but its pricey.

[inkista]

The 18-55 isn't terrible; it's just limited in comparison with more expensive lenses. If it does what you need it to, getting your hands on a used one is probably a great idea: they're cheap and plentiful given that nearly everybody drinks the 'the kit lens sucks!" kool-aid and wants to upgrade.

If you do want to upgrade, the first things you need to ask yourself are what is it about the 18-55's limits that irritate you the most. Is it focal length (wider/longer or just more range in either direction?) Max. aperture (do you want available light capability?) Contrast? Wide-open performance? Better IS? Do you need USM (silent, possibly faster and more accurate autofocus). Focus scale? Manual focus capability? Weather sealing?

When it comes to walkaround zooms in the wide-to-normal range, there are a plethora of options with a ton of different pricetags attached, so also working out what kind of budget you've got to play with is going to be key, too.

[andrewdt]

the 17-55 is an awesome (and slightly expensive) replacement, however I sometimes see then going relatively cheap as people get rid of them on their way to full frame (the limitation is they are EFS so only for on crop bodies). I have one and love it, tack sharp at f4.0 and even wide open at 2.8 it is still really nice. It would be a great upgrade